SK Hynix Begins to Ship LPDDR4 Samples to Customers.

SK Hynix, one of the world’s largest producers of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), on Monday said that it had successfully developed and build its first LPDDR4 memory chips. Customers of the company have already received the first samples of LPDDR4 for testing purposes. SK Hynix unveiled its new mobile DRAM chips on the same day as its larger rival Samsung Electronics.

SK Hynix 8Gb LPDDR4 works at 3200Mb/s effective rate and ultra low-voltage of 1.1V which runs two times faster than 1600Mb/s and does at lower voltage than 1.2V of existing LPDDR3. The new memory chip is produced using 20nm-class process technology.

The company has been strengthening its cooperation with the customers for the standardization of this new mobile DRAM by providing the samples of LPDDR4 to major customers and SoC (system on chip) companies.

SK Hynix plans to start mass production of LPDDR4 from the second half of next year. JEDEC, a leading DRAM standards setting organization, plans to finalize the new mobile LPDDR4 standard sometimes in 2014.

“SK Hynix secured its technology leadership by developing the world’s first next generation mobile memory LPDDR4 and providing samples of the product to the customers. The company will further strengthen its competitiveness in the mobile area with the development of high density, ultrahigh speed and low power consuming product,” said Richard Chin, senior vice president and the head of global sales and marketing at SK Hynix.

SK Hynix announced its LPDDR4 memory chips on the same day as Samsung Electronics. With two leading DRAM makers unveiling the memory chips well ahead of the formal ratification of the standard, this may as indicate that the standard has been nearly finalized and is highly expected by the market, especially by leading players like Apple, Samsung and Qualcomm.

The new interface LPDDR4 is expected to be loaded onto flagship mobile devices at the end of 2014 and is anticipated to be commercialized regularly from 2015. Plus, it is expected to be the main product in the industry from 2016.